Armenian Minister in Syria's new Government

YEREVAN, AUGUST 28, ARMENPRESS. An Armenian Minister is included in the new Government introduced by the President of Syria Bashar al-Assad. As reports “Armenpress” citing the Aleppo-based Gandzasar weekly, Nazira Sarkis was appointed on the post of the Minister of State for Environmental Affairs. After three months of being re-elected, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday formed his new government that consists of 11 new ministers, including Hassan al-Nuri, his rival in the latest presidential election.

The former presidential candidate has been assigned as the minister of Administrative Development, while other ministerial posts remained unchanged, including the prime minister as well as Foreign and Defense ministers.

The new line-up includes the creation of the post of minister of Administrative Development, and replaces the ministers of External Commerce, Hydraulic Resources, Transport, Housing, Economy, Communication and Health, among others.

Assad won 88.7 percent of the vote, or 10.3 million votes cast in the election held on June 3, in Syria's first multi-candidate presidential election. He will serve as president for the next seven years.